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Feb 14, 2013
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we had to [ bleep ] secretary panetta. we joked about this as an issue during our interview with secretary panetta. we didn't have to bleep him then, but we did have to bleep him yesterday. anyway, just ask yourself, though, confirmation hearings, they may not be decisive, but they do matter. ask yourself while john brennan and jack lew are frankly having an easier confirmation process. no -- wasn't exactly going through scot-free, but they had good hearings. they aced the hearing part of the confirmation. hagel was a borderline disaster on style for his confirmation hearing and he certainly struggled on substance. and that's where we are. and by the way, if hagel does get through, he's going to go in as a very, very weak secretary of defense, that has to be wearing on the mind of the folks that sit in the west wing. jack reed is the president on line one. anyway, president obama's outside game is clear. he's on the road, pushing a raft of politically popular initiatives, daring republicans to essentially fall into a polit
we had to [ bleep ] secretary panetta. we joked about this as an issue during our interview with secretary panetta. we didn't have to bleep him then, but we did have to bleep him yesterday. anyway, just ask yourself, though, confirmation hearings, they may not be decisive, but they do matter. ask yourself while john brennan and jack lew are frankly having an easier confirmation process. no -- wasn't exactly going through scot-free, but they had good hearings. they aced the hearing part of the...
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Feb 14, 2013
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we have seen panetta and others testify. is this a legitimate point that this is pay back for the surge and that lindsay graham and senator john mccain have decided somehow in their minds they're doing this. >> i don't think it's pay back for the surge, i think this is pay back for a republican willing to serve in a democratic administration. no matter what you call this, filibuster or otherwise, i think it's at odds with the constitution, i think it'sed a odds with the device and consent language of the conversation. the language says that president obama gets to pick his team exempt in extraordinary circumstances. and the extraordinary circumstances are not met here. john mccain said that chuck hagel would be a great member of cabinet. he spoke of chuck hagel as a tremendous secretary of state. >> political betrayal is a worse sin than being a member of the opposing party, so you have john mccain in the hearing really going after chuck hagel, especially after iraq and the sunshine. but then you have a committee hearing and
we have seen panetta and others testify. is this a legitimate point that this is pay back for the surge and that lindsay graham and senator john mccain have decided somehow in their minds they're doing this. >> i don't think it's pay back for the surge, i think this is pay back for a republican willing to serve in a democratic administration. no matter what you call this, filibuster or otherwise, i think it's at odds with the constitution, i think it'sed a odds with the device and consent...
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Feb 12, 2013
02/13
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those steps are as far as leon panetta can go under current law. and this is remarkable. look at this. this is from the memo today. he writes, quote, in the event that the defense of marriage act is no longer apolitic to believe the department of defense, it will be the policy of the department to construe the words "spouse" and "marriage" without regard to sexual orientation. and married couples, irrespectable of sexual orientation and their dependents will be granted full military benefits. it's remarkable, right? it's leon panetta saying that today's list of 40 or so new benefits for equal treatment for gay soldiers and their families is as far as the military can take this equality thing right now. but that the military would like to go the rest of the way right now. they would like to equalize all benefits. the reason they can't go further is defense of marriage act signed into law by president clinton, and president clinton now disavows it. to some extent, the question of whether or not the military is going to be as equal as it wants to be depends on the u.s. supre
those steps are as far as leon panetta can go under current law. and this is remarkable. look at this. this is from the memo today. he writes, quote, in the event that the defense of marriage act is no longer apolitic to believe the department of defense, it will be the policy of the department to construe the words "spouse" and "marriage" without regard to sexual orientation. and married couples, irrespectable of sexual orientation and their dependents will be granted full...
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Feb 15, 2013
02/13
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clears the senate, panetta remains a lame-duck defense secretary. that includes having to attend the nato defense ministry meeting in brussels next week. joining me now is michelle who served as a top pentagon official in this administration and is the co-founder of the center for new american security. what are the issues do you think as we have this sort of interim prospect with a filibuster and sort of a drip, drip, drip of different accusations against chuck hagel that every time he defends against one theshgs bring up another excuse. it's kich like whack-a-mole. >> when you look at all the different crisises, the different issues, the threat of sequestration coming, we need a smooth transition for the defense secretary. i think, you know, president obama has made his choice. i think we would ail like to see the senate act on that choice, and let's get on with it. let's move forward. >> this seems to have also emboldened critics. perhaps there would have been anyway because the issues are so controversial with targeted killings and belief that n
clears the senate, panetta remains a lame-duck defense secretary. that includes having to attend the nato defense ministry meeting in brussels next week. joining me now is michelle who served as a top pentagon official in this administration and is the co-founder of the center for new american security. what are the issues do you think as we have this sort of interim prospect with a filibuster and sort of a drip, drip, drip of different accusations against chuck hagel that every time he defends...
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Feb 14, 2013
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>> well, that's a decision by leon panetta. i'm not comfortable with chuck hagel as secretary of defense, we've asked legitimate questions for information and there's no reason to have to rush the vote through tonight or tomorrow. >> but it is coming, though. because a cloture file was submitted by harry reid. do you think -- you said that the democrats are embarrassed, but is it republicans are embarrassed to support one of their own because chuck hagel did not support the iraq surge? is this basically trying to settle an old score? >> well, i don't see it that way at all. i think you took a look at chuck hagel's entire history in terms of his opposition to sanctions against iran. different things he's written about disarmament including unilateral disarmament. i think he's the wrong person for this position. and anybody that watched the hearngs in just the past week knows that this man is not prepared to be secretary of defense in terms of making sure we as a nation remain strong and able to defend ourselves in all situations
>> well, that's a decision by leon panetta. i'm not comfortable with chuck hagel as secretary of defense, we've asked legitimate questions for information and there's no reason to have to rush the vote through tonight or tomorrow. >> but it is coming, though. because a cloture file was submitted by harry reid. do you think -- you said that the democrats are embarrassed, but is it republicans are embarrassed to support one of their own because chuck hagel did not support the iraq...
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Feb 15, 2013
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we have leon panetta and the secretary. there is leadership. but the other sort of incidental but not unimportant victim of all this is also john brennan's nomination. whatever you think of it, that has also been held up until after the recess for very good reasons many say because diane feinstein is now demanding seven more legal documents on targeted killings from the administration. the administration says that that's an exaggeration. that some of those that were already turned over actually were simply expansions of some of the seven she's demanding. but you're not going to have a cia director either until after the recess. >> if chuck hagel ends up confirmed and that was part of the statement today. he has majority support. he got 58 votes on the cloture vote today which implies he will be confirmed if they allow a vote. once we get defense secretary chuck hagel, what does what we just went through mean for what the relationship's going to be like between congress and the pentagon? congress and the pentagon are a little bit at each other's
we have leon panetta and the secretary. there is leadership. but the other sort of incidental but not unimportant victim of all this is also john brennan's nomination. whatever you think of it, that has also been held up until after the recess for very good reasons many say because diane feinstein is now demanding seven more legal documents on targeted killings from the administration. the administration says that that's an exaggeration. that some of those that were already turned over actually...
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Feb 15, 2013
02/13
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walnuts stwloosh that in and of itself could be catastrophic for leon panetta. >> i guess i disagree on the thesis of our open here. once this happens, radika, and i would love to get your thoughts, these are these threshold that is no one can ever turn back from. now it is going to be par for the course for sort of the party in minority to hold up cabinet picks. i mean, nothing -- it was one thing when it was judicial picks. it was another thing when it was low level staff picks. now it's the cabinet -- the cabinet is not immune from political football, basically. >> it did occur to me given the news of the week that maybe it would be better if ten people went into a room, sent up white smoke and suddenly we had a new secretary because part of the damage is watching this theater, which as you have said earlier, the american public is actually not that interested in. i mean, these aren't hillary clinton hearings. you know, i think everybody realizes, both sides, that the hagel hearings did not go well. he did not come off well. this was never going to be an elgabt process, but it is
walnuts stwloosh that in and of itself could be catastrophic for leon panetta. >> i guess i disagree on the thesis of our open here. once this happens, radika, and i would love to get your thoughts, these are these threshold that is no one can ever turn back from. now it is going to be par for the course for sort of the party in minority to hold up cabinet picks. i mean, nothing -- it was one thing when it was judicial picks. it was another thing when it was low level staff picks. now...
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Feb 14, 2013
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first, they got testimony from secretary panetta who chuck hagel would replace and the joint chiefs chair dempsey about benghazi. that wouldn't have happened they say had they not put up this fight. today they received a letter from the white house counsel that provided more answers about the president's own involvement on september 11th and they believe that that is a credit to the white house, they've now given them that information. they're saturday for now on that. expect more questions, chris, when john brennan, the cia director nominee, comes forward. so it's a tool -- >> what do they still want to know about benghazi that can be used as a reason for this decision to hold up this confirmation? what do they still want to know? >> they want to know the name of the person who changed the talking points that were circulated and included the description of the video and a spontaneous demonstration when they've now learned through testimony that the secretary defense and the joint chiefs chair both knew almost instantly that it was terrorism. they want to get to the bottom of this. they s
first, they got testimony from secretary panetta who chuck hagel would replace and the joint chiefs chair dempsey about benghazi. that wouldn't have happened they say had they not put up this fight. today they received a letter from the white house counsel that provided more answers about the president's own involvement on september 11th and they believe that that is a credit to the white house, they've now given them that information. they're saturday for now on that. expect more questions,...
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Feb 14, 2013
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leon panetta was confirmed 100-0. let me repeat that. 100-0. and he actually has a copy of the congressional record signed by 100 senators. i told him he ought to sell it on ebay and get rich. this hasn't happened in years, and it sure isn't going to happen with chuck hagel whom we can discuss. but the whole idea that in this reckless fashion, congress is not stopping this move to sequester of the defense or the nondefense budget just boggles my mind. i haven't been there in two years, but the people who are there are shaking their heads. let me say this. i was in munich recently for the security conference, my 11th time with john mccain, lindsey graham and a on the of others. the europeans who have economic structural problems are trying to increase their defense capability and shaking their heads at us and looking at the fact that we don't have serious problems, but we're manufacturing these economic problems and may be slashing the heck out of our defense budget for this crazy political circus that sadly is congress now. >> mike barnicle. >>
leon panetta was confirmed 100-0. let me repeat that. 100-0. and he actually has a copy of the congressional record signed by 100 senators. i told him he ought to sell it on ebay and get rich. this hasn't happened in years, and it sure isn't going to happen with chuck hagel whom we can discuss. but the whole idea that in this reckless fashion, congress is not stopping this move to sequester of the defense or the nondefense budget just boggles my mind. i haven't been there in two years, but the...
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Feb 14, 2013
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joy, does leon panetta need a shirt that says "i survived a chuck hagel filibuster and all i got was this lousy t-shirt?" just when he thinks it can't get worse, it's actually seemingly gotten worse. >> this is insane. i mean, last night i went through, and i was looking at the george w. bush cabinet nominations. none of which were filibustered. just for fun. just because i knew we were talking about it. his second term cabinet nominations, the majority went through by voice vote. they didn't even bother to take a poll of the senate. people like michael mukaze sailed through and alberto gonzalez, who went to the bedside of john ashcroft when he was the chief guy to demand that this sick man, this man who was on his bed barely lucid sign off on wiarrantless wiretapping. we had bin laden -- not filibuster. i mean, the bottom line is this is unprecedented, and the fact that republicans want to do it and not call it a filibuster, harry reid really should go back and rethink not doing filibuster reform. it was a huge error. >> that's it, right, maggie? here is case in point. he had the op
joy, does leon panetta need a shirt that says "i survived a chuck hagel filibuster and all i got was this lousy t-shirt?" just when he thinks it can't get worse, it's actually seemingly gotten worse. >> this is insane. i mean, last night i went through, and i was looking at the george w. bush cabinet nominations. none of which were filibustered. just for fun. just because i knew we were talking about it. his second term cabinet nominations, the majority went through by voice...
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Feb 11, 2013
02/13
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and leon panetta said it could challenge all power. >> i think that clearly i would like to hear something about trying to figure out a way to avoid the se kwquester on the budget which i believe is going to be catastrophic. >> the military has been positioning for months to deal with the cuts, and the d.o.d. is looking to the furloughs for civilians and calling for a freeze on all civilian hiring and slash 18 billion, the military plans to put off training for 3/4 of the force. to make up a $12.4 billion shortfall, the air force may cut off flying and the navy is preparing to ground the blue angels this year, and the plans to send more troops to the gulf will be put on hold, and they insist there will be no cuts in the war already taking place. and this could slow growth by 1.5% this year, and becoming essentially a drag on the economy. joining us is the former u.s. comptroller, and i know, david, your views of what to get done are well known, but the sequester, the point is to bring both parties together to do something, and now there is resignation on both parties and let it happen and
and leon panetta said it could challenge all power. >> i think that clearly i would like to hear something about trying to figure out a way to avoid the se kwquester on the budget which i believe is going to be catastrophic. >> the military has been positioning for months to deal with the cuts, and the d.o.d. is looking to the furloughs for civilians and calling for a freeze on all civilian hiring and slash 18 billion, the military plans to put off training for 3/4 of the force. to...
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Feb 16, 2013
02/13
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today, leon panetta is still the secretary of defense. the senate so far has failed to approve chuck hagel for that post. secretary panetta, not chuck hagel, will be attending a nato meeting in brussels next week to talk about the future of afghanistan, among other things. i want to bring in general wesley clark, general clark ran for president in 2004 as a democrat, he's become a friend of the weekend broadcast here on msnbc. let's start with hagel. how will our nato allies, how will they react or will there be any reaction at all when leon panetta shows up for the meeting in brussels and not chuck haguele? >> i think they understand what the american political system looks like. they understand. every one of the nato allies has his own political problems at home. imagine an alliance with 26 members and every one of them has an election, there's an election every two or three, four years in every country so there's always an election, there's always turnover. the united states is the major power behind nato, the major military power, but
today, leon panetta is still the secretary of defense. the senate so far has failed to approve chuck hagel for that post. secretary panetta, not chuck hagel, will be attending a nato meeting in brussels next week to talk about the future of afghanistan, among other things. i want to bring in general wesley clark, general clark ran for president in 2004 as a democrat, he's become a friend of the weekend broadcast here on msnbc. let's start with hagel. how will our nato allies, how will they...
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Feb 13, 2013
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but going into the speech tonight, i think there was a great deal of apprehension, because leon panetta has not laid out a plan at all to anybody on the house armed services committee on what exactly is going to get cut, how it gets cut, and how it will move forward. there are very nervous people on the hill tonight regarding that issue. >> the president talking on that tonight, the cuts need to not happen. but the republicans have not laid out anything that looks like a path to avoiding the sequester cuts at least any time soon. ed, thank you very much. we'll check back in with you. we'll talk to senator chuck schumer in just a moment about one of the policy items that was not leaked in advance of this speech. and that nobody knew, as far as i know, was coming before this speech was actually delivered tonight, which was the very specific proposal that the federal minimum wage should be raised. that was not something that was a subject of the campaign between president obama and mitt romney, except to the extent that as the president noted tonight, both he and mitt romney agreed that th
but going into the speech tonight, i think there was a great deal of apprehension, because leon panetta has not laid out a plan at all to anybody on the house armed services committee on what exactly is going to get cut, how it gets cut, and how it will move forward. there are very nervous people on the hill tonight regarding that issue. >> the president talking on that tonight, the cuts need to not happen. but the republicans have not laid out anything that looks like a path to avoiding...